Attachment for pencils or the like



A. A. BECK.

ATTACHMENT'FOR PENCILS OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1920.

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11 HORNE Y8 UNITED STATES ARTHUR A. BECK, OF BEMIDJ'I,

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ATTACHMENT FOR PEN CILS OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

7 Application filed April 24, 1920. Serial L10. 376,293.

To all 20 700m it mavyconcem Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. Bron, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bemidji, in the county of Beltrami and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Pencils or the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to pencils, pens or other writing or drawing instruments of this character and has particular relation to an attachment therefor.

The attachment is designed primarily as a means for associating an eraser with the end of a' pencil, pen or other writing or drawing instruments of this character, said means being designed also to function as a clip for retaining the instrument in the pocket of the wearer.

One of the main objections to the present form of pencils provided with erasers at one of their ends, has been due to the fact that the eraser is permanently secured in position thereby preventing the substitution of. a new eraser when the old one has worn out. In the majority of instances the eraser wears completely out before the pencil has been more than slightly used, thereby encouraging waste onthe part of many employees who discard the pencil after the function of the eraser end has been destroyed.

One of the principal objects therefore of the present invention, is to overcome the above recited objection, by providing an improved means for attaching an eraser to a pencil which permits not only of the feeding of the eraser as desired, but also allows the insertion of a new eraser when the original one has been completely worn out.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a pencil for associating an eraser therewith which also functions as a clip for retaining a pencil in the pocket of the user.

A still further object of the inventlon is to provide a device of the character de-' scribed which is inexpensive to manufacture and produce and assemble and which is capable of use in connection with practically any form of pencil on the market without the necessity of varying the form of the same.

With the above and other objects in view, some of which will be more evident hereafter, reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis application in which Figure 1 is an end view of a pencil equipped with the attachment, illustrating. the arrangement of parts when the same are adjusted to permit of the insertion or removal of an eraser therein.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side View thereof. I e

Fig. 3 is an end view illustrating the arrangement of parts when the same are adjusted to a position for securing the eraser against movement.

Fig. 4 is a corresponding side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a similar view. to Fig. 4 as viewed from another side.

Referring to the-drawings by characters of reference which denote like parts through out the several views thereof, 10 designates a portion of a pencil of any standard construction which as illustrated is provided with a reduced extremity 11'. The attachment low cylindrical sleeve 12 which is adapted to telescope the reduced extremity 11' and which may be secured thereto in any preferred manner such as by. punching as illus trated at 13. N 0 claim is made to'the method of securing the'attachment to the pencil as it is optional. The free outer end of the sleeve is provided with upstanding lugs bent outwardly upon'the'mselves to provide a plurality of axially adjustable tunnels 14 which receive a common annular split ring 15, the terminals of which are formed to provide hooks 16. A leverl7 preferably constructed of a single length of stiff wire islooped at one end to provide a bight 18, the juncture of the same with the main body portion of the lever constituting cam portions 19. The bight 18 and the cam portions 19 are designed to engage over the hooked terminals 16 of the ring 15 and are so arranged that upon the positioning of the lever 17 parallel. with the sleeve 12 the restricted end of the cam portions 19 will effect relative movement of the hooked terminals 16 toward each other resulting in a radial contraction of the ring and the tunnels 14. When the lever 17 is thrown to a position substantially at a right angle or more with relation to the sleeve the inherent resilient quality of the material from which the ring 15 is formed will tend to efiect relative separation of the hooked tertherefor comprises preferably a holminal16 thereof, resulting in a radial expansion of the ring 15 and the tunnel members 14. From this construction itJwill be seen that when an eraser 20 is pos' the sleeve thelever may be throw a position parallel with the sleevejl2' to; retain the same against accidental displacement or movement. Likewise upon movement of the lever to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the eraser may be entirely removed or the same may be fed through the sleeve when it has become worn. It willbe noted that the sleeve is preferably of a greater length than the ordinary sleeve for retaining an eraser which serves as a means for housing" a greater length of eraser in order that the original one will last proportionately with the lasting quality of. the pencil. The provision of the tunnel members 14: and the construction of the same is such that the edges thereof tend to bite into the eraser to obtain a firmer grip thereon in order to prevent accidental movement thereof with relation to the sleeve.

The main body portion of the lever when arranged parallel and alongside of the sleeve 12 functions as a clip for engagement with a pocket to retain the pencil therein, the resiliency of the ring 15 serving as a tension ing means for projecting the lever against the sleeve to setup a gripping action of the same on the pocket.

While the specification, claims and" drawings describe and illustrate the device as an attachment for a pencil, it is understood that 'no limitation is necessarily madeto such a use as the device is as readily applicable to pens, magazine pencils, or any other writing or drawinginstrument with which it is desirable to associate an eraser.

\Vhile there has been illustrated and described a single and preferred embodiment of the invention, it is understood that variations and modifications of the structural fean di .a sleeve adapted to be secured at one extremity to a pencil, and provided at its op posite extremity withradially adjustable lugs, a split ringco-acting with said lugs, and means co-acting with said split ring for opening and closing the same to effect radial adjustments of said lugs whereby to provide means for removably and adjustably associating an eraser therewith.

An attachment for pencils comprising a sleeve adaptedto be secured at'one extremity to a pencil. and having a plurality of radially adjustable lugs formed on its opposite end, a resilient split annular member received by said lugs, hooks formed at the terminals of said annular member, means associated with the hooks and adapted to coact therewith for effecting relative movement of the terminals toward or away from each other whereby to radially adjust the annular member and'the lugs to permit of the removable and adjustable association of an eraser with the sleeve. 7

3i In a device of the class described, a sleeve adapted to be secured at one extremity to;a pencil, a plurality of resilient lugs projecting. from its opposite extremity, a resilient split annular ring member carried by said lugs, hoolrsiormedat the terminals of said split ring, a lever having a cammed looped portion adapted to engage said hooks whereby upon movement of the lever to a. position parallel to the sleeve relative move ment of the extremities of said ring will be effected :Eor gr pping an eraser received by 

